Odum Kestrel was silent for 2 seconds. Then he said, "Read. I will be at your shop in 15 minutes." Odum Kestrel arrived at Halvorson Custom Cycles at 11:23 that morning. He was in jeans and a flannel shirt and his cut. He was carrying a chapter checkbook.
He sat down across from Brix Deodato in Reed's office. He said, "Son, my name is Odum. I am the president of the motorcycle club that owns that bike Reed was working on. Reed says you fixed it. That's true." Brix said, "Sir, it was just a ground." Odum said, "Son, it was a ground three mechanics with combined 70 years of experience did not see.
Where did you learn about grounds through powder coats?" Brix said, "Sir, my uncle used to build hot rods. He taught me when I was 10." Odum said, "Where's your uncle now?" Brix said, "Sir, he is in prison. He has been in prison for 2 years. Aggravated assault. But he was good to me." Odum said, "Where is your mother?" Brix said, "Sir, she died 14 months ago." "Overdose." Odum said, "And your father?" Brix said, "Sir, I do not know." Odum said, "How did you get to Cody?" Brix said, "Sir, I hitchhiked from Butte in April." Odum said, "Why Cody?" Brix said, "Sir, because I read a book about the Buffalo Bill Museum when I was 7.
I always wanted to see it." Odum Kestrel sat back in his chair. He looked at Reed Halvorson. Reid Halvorson looked at Odom Kestrel. Neither of them said anything for 11 seconds. Then Odom said, "Son, tell me about the bruise." Brick said, "Sir, it is nothing." Odom said, "Son." Brick said quietly, "Sir, there is a man at the diner, not the owner, a cook.
He does not like that I sleep back there. He came out three nights ago with a piece of pipe." Odom Kestrel wrote something in a small notebook. He said, "Son, that will be handled. Not tonight, not by me, not with anger. But that will be handled through the sheriff, who is a friend of mine, and through Wanda, who is a member of my mother's church.
Do not go back behind Wanda's tonight." Brick said, "Sir, I do not have anywhere else." Odom Kestrel said, "Son, yes, you do." He turned to Reid Halvorson. He said, "Reid, how many hours a week can this shop use a helper?" Reid Halvorson said, "Odom, as many as this kid wants to work." Odom said, "At what wage?" Reid said, "$18 an hour." "And a bench?" Odom said, "And a room?" Reid said, "And a room." Reid Halvorson had a small one-bedroom apartment above the shop that had been his brother Cormac's for 11 years until Cormac had bought the house on Cedar Street in 2007. The apartment had been empty since. It was small. It had a bed, a kitchenette, a bathroom, a window looking out over the alley.
Odom said, "Bricks, that is not charity. This is a paying job. In exchange, you are going to take the GED at the community college this fall. You are going to enroll in the technical program at Northwest College in the spring. Reid and I and Wanda and every other member of this chapter who has a spare hour is going to help you do that.
You are going to be paid wage hour on the books. Reed will get you a state ID and a social security card by Monday. You will have insurance through Reed's shop. If you agree to this, we will do it. If you do not agree to this, we will find you a bed at a group home in Casper by tonight, and we will still take care of the bruise.